10:30 Refreshments and networking

11:00 Sustainability is here to stay – How can Technology help achieve your Goals?

This panel discussion will explore through the lens of sustainability how luxury players are innovating in bringing to market products that appeal to a more ethically minded consumer, and doing so in ways that serve business drivers. We will address what sustainability means for luxury products industries and offer thoughts on addressing the legal issues relating to risk management and brand protection.

11:30 The Jetsetters: The world of luxury travel

Jennifer Flowers, Deputy Editor, AFAR Media

11:50 Design Protection in the Luxury Goods Industries: How to protect your business in Canada and the US

In recent years, it has become increasingly important for luxury goods companies, who are constantly creating leading-edge product designs at great expense, many of which they become widely known for, to protect those designs against imitation and counterfeiting. The panel examines the current state of the law in the U.S. as to the ability to protect product designs under copyright, trademark and design patent laws, and the most effective ways to enforce such protection. They will also compare the laws in the U.S. with those of their neighbor to the north, the great nation of Canada.

Chief Legal Officer, Legal Managed Services, Alternative Legal Service Providers, Law Firm, Big 4 Law – what is happening and what does it all mean? The convergence of technology and automation with the need to do more with less is leading to new ways of managing risk, supporting the other corporate functions, and enabling your company’s business. With the rapid expansion of industry groups like Summit on Legal Innovation and Disruption (SOLID) and Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) – the legal function for sure is prime for a transformation, much like IT, Finance and Human Resources before it. In this session, Karl Chapman, EY Riverview Law Strategic Advisor, and Carolyn Libretti, EY Law Americas Practice Leader, will share their market insights, knowledge and use cases of how in-house counsel can, and need, to adapt to the change now and plan for the future they can expect.

12:50 Lunch and networking

13:50 DealTalk: M&A Meets Luxury

As consumer preferences change, the luxury fashion industry is seeking to stay ahead of the curve, in large part through M&A activity. Consequently, both luxury fashion houses and private equity firms must familiarize themselves with the particulars of acquisitions involving luxury groups, through several strategies, and with each opportunity assessed on a deal-by-deal basis. Our panel of expert in-house and private equity professionals will walk through the timeline of a fashion deal, from due diligence to post-closing integration.

14:20 Securing Luxury: How to avoid a cyber crisis

Alex Urbelis, Partner, Blackstone Law Group

14:40 Refreshments

15:05 Off-White Goes Red-Hot: Taking c/o The World’s Hottest Brand

Recently named “Hottest Brand in the World” by Lyst, Off-White has ascended to the top of the fashion industry at an unprecedented pace. Along the way, there have been many legal challenges, including, counterfeiting, IP definition and enforcement, collaborations and license deals, among many others. This panel of experts who have had a hand in taking “C/O” the brand, will discuss their experiences.

15:25 What’s in a name? Eponymous Fashion Brands

16:05 Restaurant Luxury: What does it mean and how does it happen?

Apart from the design of the room and the quality of food, what creates a luxurious dining experience, what sets it apart from the crowd, and how is the vision set and operationally delivered? How do the more robust and widespread legal requirements for employee training arising out of the #metoo movement actually support the goal of delivering a luxury dining experience?

More than ever before, luxury brands are under threat as new sales platforms create added risk. From resale pricing to online sales, this session will cover strategic planning on brand protection in Europe in light of recent landmark cases. Brand protection strategies are fraught with possible competition law issues, but also offer areas of opportunity where upfront strategic planning can allow for more effective systems to improve your results.

This session will explore:

What is luxury? How does your market positioning impact your risk exposure?

What are the key differences in Europe compared to the US?

What do US companies need to know in order to protect their brand in Europe? Will Brexit have an impact?

Can you control pricing? — recent European cases on retail pricing

Can you control sales on online platforms? — recent developments on online sales

David Hull, Partner, Van Bael & Bellis

17:05 Fireside Chat

Taryn will join us for a fireside chat, to discuss how Chanel manages its legal department, how the team has changed its focus and the challenges of luxury law.